Keanu Reeves Teases His Wild Return to Sci-Fi: “Sharks. Time Travel”

Keanu Reeves is no stranger to the sci-fi genre. In addition to his role as Neo in the Matrix franchise, he’s also appeared in the Bill & Ted films, A Scanner Darkly, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and more. Reeves is hoping to add another genre classic to his filmography with his next project, a collaboration with Deadpool director Tim Miller called Shiver, which has drawn comparisons to the acclaimed Tom Cruise vehicle Edge of Tomorrow. Warner Bros. has scheduled the movie for August 2027, so sci-fi fans only have to wait a little over a year before they get a chance to see it. In the meantime, Reeves is offering a small tease of what people can expect.

During an interview with Collider, Reeves was asked what drew him to Shiver. “Sharks. Time machine. Groundhog Day,” was the actor’s straightforward response. As you can probably tell from Reeves’ comment, Shiver is a time loop story that involves sharks. In the film, Reeves plays a smuggler whose latest job goes sideways, and he has to deal with sharks on top of everything else.

Can Shiver Be the Next Great Keanu Reeves Sci-Fi Movie?

Shiver earning comparisons to Edge of Tomorrow is high praise. While it didn’t have the strongest box office run, the Tom Cruise film earned widely positive reviews and now has a passionate fan base that would love to see a sequel. Edge of Tomorrow was noteworthy for blending sci-fi, action, and dark humor into a unique package, cementing itself as one of Cruise’s best efforts. If Shiver can essentially be Reeves’ Edge of Tomorrow, sci-fi fans will be in for a treat. Obviously, there are key differences between the two projects, but Shiver can still emulate the spirit and tone of Edge of Tomorrow while also putting its own spin on the premise. The presence of sharks adds a new layer of danger to the story.

As a director, Miller made a splash with his feature-length debut, the first Deadpool movie, which broke box office records and earned positive reviews. Since then, his track record has been a bit mixed, admittedly. Terminator: Dark Fate received generally positive reviews (70% on Rotten Tomatoes), but it underwhelmed at the box office. Secret Level (which Miller created), an anthology series telling stories in the worlds of popular video games, also earned mixed reviews. However, Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots has earned accolades (including four Emmy nominations for Miller himself) thanks to its creative approach of utilizing different animation styles and genres. Miller, who has a background in visual effects, is always looking for opportunities to push the envelope visually and stage some creative set pieces, so hopefully he’s at the top of his game on Shiver.

By slating Shiver for August, WB is arguably putting the film in a better chance to succeed at the box office. On one hand, the studio is keeping it out of a prime summer season slot (which could theoretically mean it isn’t fully confident in the picture), but if Shiver delivers on its potential and is well-received, it could stand out in a less competitive window. It was only a year ago horror hit Weapons rode waves of positive word of mouth to commercial success, so the same thing can happen with Shiver — especially with a likable star in Reeves front and center. John Wick is proof the actor can carry an original genre movie to strong numbers.

It would be great if Shiver became the next Keanu Reeves sci-fi classic. On paper, the film is an example of the type of project the industry needs more of: a non-franchise star vehicle built around an entertaining hook. This summer, there have been signs that moviegoers aren’t as enamored with established IP as they used to be, and while those brands aren’t going anywhere any time soon, it seems like there’s more of a demand for ideas that are new and fresh. Groundhog Day with sharks is a fun elevator pitch, just like Groundhog Day with aliens was over a decade ago.

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